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DECISION No

DECISION No.576-TTg OF SEPTEMBER 16, 1995 OF THE PRIME MINISTER APPROVING THE NATIONAL ACTION PROGRAM ON NUTRITION

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government of September 30, 1992;

Proceeding from the Law on Protection of People's Health promulgated on June 30, 1989;

At the proposal of the Minister-Chairman of the State Planning Committee embodied in Official Dispatch No.880-UB/NLN of March 28, 1995, on the National Action Program on Nutrition for the 1995-2000 Period,

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the National Action Program on Nutrition (NAPN) for the 1995-2000 period, with the following main contents:

1. Orientations of the NAPN:

a) To integrate the targets, contents and solutions of the NAPN into the long-term and annual plans for socio-economic development of the State and each locality.

b) Step by step to reduce and eventually to eradicate steadily the state of low food intake and malnutrition caused by shortage of food and the diseases caused by deficiency of micro-nutrients, with a view to improving gradually the physical and spiritual development of Vietnamese.

c) To ensure the quality standard and food sanitation to protect the health of consumers; to organize a network of food inspectors, train cadres, and strengthen and build new laboratories for quality control and health services to control the quality and hygiene security of food.

d) To intensify supervision, control and appraisal of, and to coordinate and manage, nutritional programs at home and under international cooperation.

2. Targets of the NAPN:

a) To put an end to the low food intake and to bring the current per-capita intake of 1932 kcal to over 2100 kcal, and to lower the percentage of families with average food intake below 1800 kcal from the present 22.5% to under 10%.

b) To reduce the ratio of malnutrition: With regard to adults, to reduce the percentage of those who are on permanent shortage of food intake, especially of women in child-bearing age (between 15 and 49 years of age), from the present 40% or more to under 30%.

With regard to children, to reduce the percentage of under-five children suffering from protein deficiency (on weight/age ratio) from 45% at present to under 30%.

c) To reduce the incidence of micro-nutrient deficiency:

- To basically eradicate clinical symptoms of Vitamin-A deficiency and its consequences, including blindness.

- To basically eradicate disorders caused by iodine deficiency.

- To reduce the rate of anemia among pregnant women from 50% - 60% at present to under 40% in areas where an anti-anemia program is deployed.

3. The main solutions in the plan are:

a) To ensure foodstuff security for households.

b) To effect the plan for primary care of the health service. In details, it includes preventive measures against infectious diseases, promotion of breast feeding, and encouragement of proper diets and healthy lifestyle.

c) To prevent deficiency of micro-nutrients, especially the deficiency of iodine, Vitamin A and iron.

d) Education on nutrition: to train cadres and to conduct research on nutrition issues.

e) To ensure norms of food quality and sanitation.

f) To monitor and appraise activities in nutrition and food sanitation.

The plan must first of all concentrate on education and training of nutrition workers in the prevention of protein deficiency among under-five children, especially in areas of high risk, remote and high-land or mountainous areas, and areas of ethnic minorities.

Article 2.-

1. The State Planning Committee is the main agency assigned with the task of directing the implementation of this plan.

2. The State Planning Committee shall coordinate with the concerned ministries to set up seven assisting sub-committees, which are to look after these issues:

- Foodstuff Security at Households;

- Nutrition and Health;

- Micro-nutrients;

- Education and Training of Nutrition Cadres;

- Food Quality and Sanitation;

- Supervision of Nutrition and Foodstuff Sanitation;

- Prevention of Protein Deficiency among Under-Five Children.

These sub-committees shall assist the State Planning Committee to design plans of international cooperation to monitor the deployment and appraisal of its implementation. Annually, they shall file reports on these activities.

3. The State Planning Committee shall, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, assign the National Institute of Nutrition to act as the national center for nutrition activities. The National Institute of Nutrition shall act as the standing body to monitor the implementation of the plan and, at the same time, prepare annual plans, and organize reviewing conferences.

Article 3.- Annually, the State Planning Committee and the Ministry of Finance shall set aside part of the budget (including capital from domestic and foreign sources) to ensure the deployment of the activities of the national nutrition program for 1995-2000 period.

Article 4.- This Decision takes effect from the date of its signing.

Article 5.- The Ministers, the Heads of the Agencies at ministerial level, the Heads of the Agencies attached to the Government, and the Presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government, are responsible for the implementation of this Decision.

The Prime Minister

VO VAN KIET